Examples Of Pride In Beowulf

634 Words2 Pages

Have you ever been too prideful I mean so filled with pride that it actually hurts you more than you just not being prideful in the first place well this was the way Beowulf a successful mighty warrior that let too much pride consume him to where he ended up dying over his stubborn prideful ways. Beowulf travels far and wide to help those in need. He helps the Danes when he hears they are being terrorized by Grendel, and later, Grendel’s mother.
Beowulf believes he is the strongest man around, and he takes on any challenge. Beowulf’s pride gives him the courage to take on the tasks. Losing is not an option for Beowulf. However, this is not always good. Through the tales and explanations of Beowulf’s deeds in the book “Beowulf,” it is …show more content…

It is not only his victories, though, that make people respect him. They also respect him for his pride and attitude. Many people feared Grendel, but Beowulf said “When it comes to fighting, I count myself as dangerous any day as Grendel” (page 47, 677-678). This is Beowulf’s first chance to prove his worth. He is known as a strong, brave man, but some, such as Unferth, still doubt his abilities. Beowulf takes on challenges to prove he is strong, because he is very prideful and does not want people doubting him. Not many people doubt his abilities because he is so sure of …show more content…

He wants to be remembered and the only way to be remembered is to do something abnormal. Beowulf fights without weapons and fights alone, all because he hopes to gain more glory by fighting more dangerously. He goes above and beyond the expectation of him because he knows he will get more glory and respect. He fights dangerously to satisfy his ego. Beowulf’s greed for glory led to his downfall, which was his death. If he had not been so prideful and not fought the dragon alone, his warriors would have been able to help him fight and help him survive. He was too greedy to let anyone else take away from his glory. There was no one there to help Beowulf when he most needed it because he was too proud to let them help. Beowulf’s extreme pride caused his

Show More
Related

  • The Hero Archetype: Beowulf and Sir Gawain

    1865 Words  | 4 Pages

    Of the many characteristics of a hero, being better than the ordinary man is the trait most easily found when studying a character. Beowulf exhibits almost god-like strength throughout his quest. For example, “He twisted in pain, / And the bleeding sinews deep in his shoulder/ Snapped, muscle and bone split and broke.” (Beowulf 815-818). His strength is once again demonstrated in his fight with Grendel’s mother. After he realizes hand-to-hand combat is futile, Beowulf swings a sword “so massive that no ordinary man could lift/ It’s carved and decorated length.” (Beowulf 1560-1561). Yet another example of Beowulf’s strength is his presentation of Grendel’s head to the Danes. After slicing off Grendel’s head in one blow, Beowulf orders his men to carry the head back to Herot. However, the head of the monster was “too heavy for fewer than four of them to handle” (Beowulf 1636-1637). After arriving in Herot, Beowulf “carried that terrible trophy by the hair,/ Brought it straight to where the Danes sat” (Beowulf 1647-1648). The second trait that demonstrates that Beowulf is better than the ordinary man is his incredible honor. When preparing for his fight with Grendel, Beowulf decides not to use ...

    Read More

  • Beowulf's Warrior Code

    893 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the anglo saxon society in which Beowulf took place, there was a warrior code which resulted in everyone trying to gain power over one another. Everyone lived by a heroic code that encouraged battles, feuds, and murders and rewarded the victor with treasure. By showing your insecurities or weaknesses in this age you will be taken advantage of. Beowulf understands the heroic code and uses his pride to get the upper hand on everyone else, Beowulf boasts himself as an invincible hero and goes in battle with out an ounce of fear. Beowulf’s justifies his excessive pride through his . Lastly, Beowulf’s pride made him a leader and led by example to defeat the dragon and ultimately sacrifice himself in the process. Beowulf’s desire for pride

    Read More

  • Epic of Beowulf Essay - Hero of Epic Proportions

    656 Words  | 2 Pages

    Beowulf is “the strongest of the Geats -- greater / and stronger than anyone anywhere in this world” (ll.110-111). Even though he is famous for his massive strength, Beowulf has other attributes that are noticeable other than his strength. These attributes, arrogance, bravery, and a strong love for his people are what make Beowulf become such a powerful, epic hero. Beowulf is arrogant. He constantly brags about his supreme strength. The “strongest man alive” lets people know that he is the most powerful person around by saying, “no strength is a match for mine” (l.267). Beowulf does not think that he could ever be destroyed by anything. He obviously never questiones how his fighting ability would be when he was around seventy. Since Beowulf is convinced that God is watching over him, his ego makes him act as if he is invincible, because of the idea that he has a guardian angel. But, as Beowulf gets older, wiser, and fights in more battles he should realize that there was a possibility that he can die. Beowulf also boasts about his many battles, and is proud of himself for winning all of them. One of these triumphs is the battle in the water when he meets up with nine sea monsters which he killeds, and fights with a monster that is digging its jaws into Beowulf’s flesh. Beowulf proclaims that “ I fought that beast’s last battle, / left it floating in the sea” (ll.290-291). This epic tale reads that while Beowulf is in battle with Grendel’s mother, all he cares was about the fame he would get for defeating her. Unferth thinks that Beowulf was arrogant, by saying, “ You’re Beowulf, are you the same / Boastful fool who fought a swimming / Match with Brecca” (ll.239-241). Yes, Beowulf is a boastful fool that loves the attention that his strength gives him. A strong man and an arrogant one, Beowulf is also brave. Even after all of the horror stories that he hears about Grendel, he still fights the cursed beast without any hesitation. When he battles with Grendel, he does it without the things that everyone else would use--weapons. This shows that Beowulf is not scared of anything in the world. He also must be brave to fight a sea monster after swimming in the ocean for days. He went straight into battle exhausted, from the strenuous journey across the ocean.

    Read More

  • Pride In Beowulf's Pride Quotes

    216 Words  | 1 Pages

    Even from an early age, Beowulf took every opportunity he could to show off his strength and fearlessness. When he first introduces himself to King Hrothgar, a Danish warrior by the name Unferth recognizes Beowulf and brings up a story from his youth. He explains to the entire hall how Beowulf had challenged another young man, named Brecca, to a swimming match and lost. Unferth says to him, ¨both of you daring and young and proud… risking your lives for no reason? All older and wiser heads warned you not to, but no one could check such pride¨ (Raffel 23). It is clear that in this story, that Beowulf´s pride consumes him and fuels his reckless actions. He goes on to tell Unferth about how he had stayed behind to fight 9 monsters, while Brecca

    Read More

  • Quotes From Beowulf

    634 Words  | 2 Pages

    Beowulf is proud in the sense that he has no fear. He is willing to go to any length and any condition in order to protect the Danes. “My lord Higlac might think less of me if I let my sword go where my feet were too afraid to, if I hid behind some broad linden shield;”. Beowulf is explaining how he will use no weapons on Grendel to kill him, and in my opinion he thinks it would be cowardly to do so. He is humble because he is okay with dying and he lies his fate in Gods hands. “And if my death does take me, send the hammered mail of my armor to Higlac, return the inheritance i had from Hershel and he from Wayland. Fate will unwind as it must!” Beowulf is putting the fate of his life into God’s hands and is willing to die in the chance to kill Grendel for the safety of

    Read More

  • An Ego of Kingly Proportions

    1525 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Epic poem of Beowulf is a story of heroism, loyalty, ego, and fate. To be a great leader of men; a great king of the people, you must be respected and trusted. Loyalty is given to those who earn the respect and trust of their people. Beowulf was blessed with great physical strength, the pride and fearlessness of a warrior, and an equally strong command of the spoken word, which he used skillfully to his advantage. He gained the respect and trust of nearly everyone he came in contact with, largely because he possessed the characteristics of a true hero, but in the end it was his ego that sealed his fate. Although it could be said that Beowulf’s character was flawed by an enormous ego, fueled by thoughts of immortality, it is this very trait that made him an ideal hero and king.

    Read More

  • Beowulf Is Not A Hero Essay

    505 Words  | 2 Pages

    Beowulf is a great tale but as a person, he isn’t that all that people make him out to be. In his older years his need for attention and glory ended up with the death of him. He fought the dragon alone and in return, ended up killing the dragon, but also sacrificed himself. Even as he died he asked for one thing, his people to build him a memorial near the sea so everyone could see the person that he was. His need for attention, lack of planning, and need for glory caused him to be just a prideful man, not a

    Read More

  • Sliding Scale of Virtue: An Analysis of Beowulf Characters

    819 Words  | 2 Pages

    The titular character is first presented as a classic storybook hero, “a man who of all men / was foremost and strongest in the days of his life” (788-9). From the perspective of a Danish civilian watching the story of Beowulf unfold, his confidence is both terrifying and respectable. He waltzes into Denmark ready to kill Grendel with his bare hands. Whether or not he doubts his abilities is unclear to the reader; the audience sees only his confidence. For instance, just before the initial fight with Grendel, Beowulf boasts that he “shall fulfill that purpose, / prove myself with a proud deed / or meet my death here in the mead-hall” (636-8). With this one-sided look at the hero’s feelings, it is difficult to discern true confidence from the illusion of courage fabricated for the story by Beowulf. His virtue of courageousness could easily fall apart if he does not truly possess it. To explore this concept further, consider the fight with the dragon in the final act of the poem. At this point, Beowulf’s mortality creates the conditions leading up to his death, and he acknowledges it, telling his troops, “This fight is not yours, / nor is it up to any man except me / to prove his strength … I shall win the gold / by my courage, or else mortal combat, / doom of battle, will bear your lord away” (2532-7). Beowulf’s insistence on fighting alone is the manifestation of his overconfidence. His

    Read More

  • Hero In Beowulf

    1035 Words  | 3 Pages

    Boasting is a common trait among heroes, and something Beowulf constantly did throughout the story. In lines 142-189 for example, Beowulf describes how much of a brave fighter he is and boasts about how he killed 5 beasts in one battle. To summarize, he says that he heard about the Danes’ despair and came to the rescue, and although he was willing to risk his life to save Hrothgar and his people, it was also obviously for fame as well. He assures Hrothgar that the situation will be resolved, and does do his job well, killing Grendel as well as Grendel’s mother after she sought revenge by killing one of Hrothgar’s best men. His arrogance shows again in lines 450-458, after he fearlessly enters the lake that Grendel’s mother lived in. It says that, “He leaned into the lake/Would not wait for anyone’s/Answer; the heaving water covered him…”. Beowulf also fought Grendel’s mother by himself, and even though he ended up winning the battle, it almost cost him his life. Ultimately, Beowulf met his demise in the end of the story, when he volunteered to fight a dragon that was terrorizing the Geats. In lines 606-612, after Beowulf uttered his final boast, “I’ve never known fear, as a youth I fought/In endless battles. I am old now/But I will fight again, seek fame still,/If the dragon hiding in his tower dares/To face me…”, he went to go and face the problem, only for his war ridden sword to break and his followers leave him fear. Beowulf was essentially helpless until a sole warrior showed, named Wiglaf, and killed the dragon for him. Even though Wiglaf wasn’t seriously hurt, Beowulf was laying on the ground, knowing he was dying and that these were his last moments on Earth, so he only ask Wiglaf that he be buried with the treasure that was in the castle the dragon dwelled in. It goes to show that even the toughest fighters like Beowulf aren’t as invincible as they

    Read More

  • Beowulf Heroism Essay

    975 Words  | 2 Pages

    Beowulf displayed great courage and honor throughout his journeys and battles; he was an epic hero. An epic hero is a person who is viewed as larger than life and possesses values of a certain society. From the time of Beowulf’s battle with Grendel to his brawl against the dragon, he has showed everyone what being an honorable hero looks like. His heroism is revealed through both youth as a young warrior and wisdom as a reliable king. He never backed down and didn’t give up when situations were tough. Beowulf had obligations to fulfill and went about every aspect of his life with courage and strength. He cared for his people and was willing to take on anyone that threatened them or his kingdom. He sincerely was the hero of his time.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Pride In Beowulf

    1337 Words  | 3 Pages

    Pride manifests itself into many different forms and will sometimes overshadow a person 's good judgement, in turn affecting their actions. It is truly the cause for the rise and fall of men for centuries and thus has become one of the greatest concepts to be addressed in British literature. Throughout the literary works studied this semester, some form of pride has always presented itself as a major theme.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Pride In Beowulf

    160 Words  | 1 Pages

    Beowulf wants to fight Grendel, a monster wreaking havoc, and is boasting that he is more powerful and courageous.

    Read More

  • Epic of Beowulf Essay - Beowulf as Tragic Hero

    1434 Words  | 3 Pages

    Beowulf was a highly skilled and great fighter, but because of his over-confidence in himself the fire-breathing dragon kills him. Beowulf’s excessive pride is evident from the very beginning of the epic. He is almost always boasting about himself to one person or the other. In the first part of the epic, when Beowulf first travels to Hrothgar’s kingdom to rid him of Grendel, he talks about the mighty deeds he has done in his life. “Hail, Hrothgar, health ever keep you! I am Hyglelac’s thane and kinsman; mighty deeds I have done in my youth…they saw themselves how I came from combat bloodied by enemies where I crushed down five, killed a tribe of giants, and on the waves at night slew water-beasts; no easy task, but I dove out trouble from Geatland-they asked for it, the enemies I killed.”(Beowulf p73) One can easily picture him standing proud and tall in front of a multitude of fellow warriors, proclaiming all the deeds he has accomplished in his lifetime.

    Read More

  • Why Is Pride Important In Beowulf

    435 Words  | 1 Pages

    Throughout the epic poem of Beowulf, the main character is faced with numerous evils, in which he chooses to fight all by himself. At times, one would think pride is a great thing to have, but sometimes it is good to ask for help. The hero Archetype, Beowulf, comes from the great land of Geatland and travels to Daneland to defeat the manslaughterer that is roaming the country. Although Beowulf arrives at Daneland with his boat loaded with Geat warriors, he does not plan on needing/using them. In fact, while Beowulf was battling Grendel, “All of Beowulf’s/ Band had jumped from their beds, ancestral/ Swords raised and ready, determined/ To protect their prince if they could. Their courage/ Was great but all wasted…”

    Read More

  • The Importance of Grendel and the Dragon in Beowulf

    1277 Words  | 3 Pages

    “In my youth I engaged in many wars”, Beowulf boasts to his warriors, which is certainly true. Throughout his life, he faces many deadly foes, all of which he handily defeats, save one. His story focuses on the most challenging, as well as morally significant of foes, Grendel and the dragon. These creatures reveal much about society as well as Christian virtue at the time. Even after Grendel and the dragon are defeated physically, the two monsters pose a new threat to the hero on a higher plane. Beowulf is not only at risk of losing his life, but his humanity, virtue, and even spirituality.

    Read More

More about Examples Of Pride In Beowulf

Open Document